Illinois officials were taken by surprise when star basketball player Terrence Shannon Jr. was charged with rape in Kansas. The university’s Athletic Director, Josh Whitman, admitted that he only became aware of the charging documents and warrant for Shannon’s arrest, issued on Dec. 5, after they surfaced on social media. Shannon was suspended by Illinois after being charged with rape for an alleged incident that occurred when the football team played at Kansas in September.
Whitman revealed that the Lawrence Police Department had communicated with the university police in late September, indicating Shannon’s involvement in an incident in a bar in Lawrence, Kansas, on Sept. 9, which alleged the inappropriate touching of a woman. University officials met with Shannon after learning about the alleged bar incident, and Whitman stated that Shannon was forthcoming about his activities in Lawrence. However, due to the alleged bar incident being ‘short on specifics,’ no action was initially taken by the athletic department against Shannon.
Whitman emphasized the seriousness with which the university and athletic department view sexual misconduct, stating, ‘It’s antithetical to our mission as a university and athletic department.’ He also stressed the presumption of innocence in legal proceedings.
Shannon, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chicago, was in Lawrence to watch the Illinois football team play Kansas on Sept. 8. The university clarified that Shannon was not in Lawrence on official university business, nor was he a member of the university’s travel party.
Shannon returned to Lawrence on Thursday afternoon with Illinois athletics staff members to meet with authorities and post bail, according to Whitman. He then returned to Champaign on Thursday night. Shannon’s attorney, Mark Sutter, issued a statement asserting Shannon’s innocence and his cooperation with law enforcement since the allegations surfaced in September. Sutter also stated that Shannon voluntarily surrendered to local authorities upon learning of the formal charges.
